Master's Programme in Transformative Game Design

In the Master's Programme in Transformative Game Design, you will explore the complexities of analogue role-playing game (RPG) design and implementation with an emphasis on tabletop, live-action role-playing games (LARP), and freeform. You will learn best practices for designing games that maximise the potential for transformative impacts on players, including leisure, educational, and therapeutic settings. The curriculum features topics that draw insights from design and play cultures from around the world. The programme has a strong emphasis on safety, calibration, and framing structures around games that can maximise their transformative potential, including the cultivation of nourishing communities surrounding play activities. Prior knowledge of analogue role-playing games is desirable but not required. The programme explores the following questions. - How might analogue role-playing games help catalyse processes of personal and/or social change? - What are the most effective ways to frame game activities when designing for transformation? - How can implementation and facilitation practices guide players toward intended learning objectives? - How can researchers best assess the impacts of transformative games? The programme is online and runs at half-time (50%). The language of instruction is English.